STRATEGIES & PLANNING

WE finalized our ideas and decided to use unity to align with story.  also we did a pre- act to clear and the story characters and what everybody should do. milo as the leader of the kids team from LCSS in charging of the story coherency and other kids and making tiny elements like text for “protestors” etc. It was a productive day.

 

STORYLINE

1. Farmer John wakes up goes through a brief morning routine.
   1. It’s a little off-color. John swings his leg over the bed and lumbers to the sink. He brushes his teeth and wakes up.
   2. Foley: Running water.
2. Cut to chickens clucking, in cages, by the thousands, stretching back into a warehouse- John checks water and we see a chicken with a pink, irritated, underbelly. From the outside, the space is gray. The leaves are kind of greenish-gray, and there is a brown pond close to the warehouse.

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1. From a close-up of a sign for Happy Acres farms, we see protestors picketing with signs like “PRACTICE SUSTAINABLE FARMING” and “STOP TORTURING ANIMALS”
   1. Protesters are waving signs up and down and marching around, chanting slogans like “ Factory farming is murder,” etc.
2. John is poring over documents which are revealed to be tax forms.
   1. He seems worried.

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1. In the same room, John calls a friend who suggests he give into the protests and try sustainable farming.
   1. 1. John: “It’s just, with these new protests, the numbers aren’t working out.”
      2. Friend: “On Facebook, I saw a story about this farm. It’s like the most sustainable one on the planet. They even rotate chickens out to help the soil. Besides, the protesters are kinda right. Your farm really messes up the river. Maybe you should take a look. But remember, if things go South, I’m here for you. ”
      3. John “All right. I’ll take a look. And thanks. Seriously.”
2. John Googles “Sustainable farming,” and a name comes up: Wilfred Stephens.
   1. Foley: Keyboards clacking.

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1. He calls Stephens and asks to visit his farm.            
   1. 1. John: “Hello?”
      2. Stephens: “Hello. This is Wilfred Stephens.”
      3. John: “Hi Mr. Stephens. I’m a farmer, although I can’t claim mine is anywhere near as environmentally friendly as yours.”
      4. Stephens: “Thank you. It’s been a long fight to make my farm sustainable.”
      5. John: “The reason I’m calling, anyways, is that I’d like to visit your farm. With the new protests and awareness, I’m getting chewed out.”
      6. Stephens: “I absolutely understand. Does next Saturday work?”
      7. John: “Definitely. Hang up.”
2. John drives down and sees the grass getting greener as he leaves his farm. A river running next to the road starts brownish and ends up crystal clear and blue. He arrives at Stephens’s farm and
3. Tour time! Stephens leads John around and he sees the chickens, 10 to a small coop, strutting around, and the cows, large and docile, grazing on grass.
4. John speaks to the same friend, and describes his dilemma. He wants to make profits, but he’s not sure if he can continue having seen the better way.

——————————————————————————————————————————SoPHIA:

1. “1 year later”
2. We see the same “Happy Acres” sign, and pan down in the same way to a line of trucks waiting to get their food.
3. We see an ending sequence mirroring the opening one. John’s legs swing off of the bed and he brushes his teeth. Cheery music is playing in the background.
4. The chicken warehouse is gone. Instead, small coops of happy, healthy chickens take their place. John looks out on to his farm and the grass is vibrant. The trees are fuller, and there is a small pond, and everyone looks happier.